PL MINUTES 12151981 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

-4- Before he left, Mr. Johnson said he was certain the County will provide the City with written assurances that should satisfy the proposed • contingency amendment and recommend the City actively seek to ascertain whether or not the County holds the same easement for the properties between his site and Silver Lane, information he has been unable to get himself. The Chairmansaid the Commission has traditionally set its own pro- cedures for. organization and, because he intends to resign as Chairman as of the January 5th Council meeting, asked that nominations be taken to fill the position at this time , with the Chairman Pro Tem to be selected during the January Commission meeting. Mr. Bowerman nominated Doug Jones to serve as Chairman of the Planning Commission during 1982 and Mr. Sopcinski seconded the nomination after being assured Mr. Bjorklund will provide parliamentary procedure guidance. There being no further nominations , it was moved by Mr. Peterson and seconded by Mr. Bjorklund that a unanimous ballot be declared for Mr. Jones , which motion passed unanimously. The meeting was recessed at 8 : 50 P .M. and reconvened at 9 :00 P .M. , during which time Mrs . Makowske left the meeting. Mr. Enrooth reported he had attended the training sessions for new public .officials and was particularly impressed with the session deal- ing with the vulnerability of city council and zoning commission members to successful lawsuits when financial loss can be proved to have resulted .from statements made in relation to matters before those bodies . Mr. Bowerman suggested the best way to avoid this problem would be for Commission members to limit their comments strictly to the matters before them and avoid what could be construed as dis- paraging personal references to persons involved in the proposals they are considering. He also saw it as imperative that extreme caution should be taken when discussing zoning matters with the news media. Mr. Sopcinski noted the many homes in St. Anthony which have been on the market for a considerable length of time and wondered if the Council will be pressured to acknowledge a growing trend of downgrad- ing zoning standards to provide. less expensive housing . He was especially concerned with the new movement to minimize standards for existing residential dwellings . -Mr. Enrooth said he is certain some multiple family accommodations are existent in the City now and agreed with Mr. Bjorklund that staff should be requested to research and report back to the Commission the zoning and legal requirements for basement apartments and other multiple living arrangements addressed in the City Zoning Ordinance. Mr. Jones thought careful consideration should be given to rejecting basement apartments and cautioned that, in the face of economic difficulties being experienced by the City , the Commission might possible have to reduce its demands for staff time. Mr. Enrooth believed it to be incumbent on staff to let the Commission 'know. when it has overstepped requests in this regard. Mr. Jones and Mr. Sopcinski noted the overcrowding of residential areas they had seen in Omaha, Nebraska, and believe the City should take a